When we think about having guests on the property, around the horses especially, there are additional things we need to think about to keep everyone safe and happy.
Some key things to think about:
- How good is the person at following directions? If we ask the guest to step back, or stop moving forward, will he or she do it right away? Or only say "what?" even when we speak clearly?
- How much does the guest think they know about horses? This isn't to say they don't know plenty about horses, but we know our horses best. Will the guest do what he or she thinks is best even if we ask them to do something else?
- How many guests are in attendance at one time? Are there enough people that we can't actually watch everyone at the same time? Can one guest get into a negative situation before we notice? What might the rest do if we stop to help one of them?
We have found that it is always best to think ahead to what could or might happen instead of waiting until a negative situation occurs to figure out the best course of action.
Hopefully, by thinking through several scenarios beforehand we will be more prepared and act positively when our guests are here. After all, we want our guests to be happy they came and encouraged to come back again!
